Mitsubishi claims new electric car record

Mitsubishi has claimed a world record for an electric car driving more than 2,000km in 24 hours.

Mitsubishi claims new electric car record

Mitsubishi has claimed a world record for an electric car driving more than 2,000km in 24 hours.

The company says four of its drivers in the FTO-EV prototype (pictured) covered a total of 2,142.3km in a 24-hour period at a test course in Okazaki, central Japan averaging 130km/h.

The previous 24-hour record for an electric vehicle was 1,700km unofficially set by the General Motors Saturn division in 1996, Mitsubishi said.

A Mitsubishi spokesperson said Mitsubishi planned to sell electric cars in 2003, when California will implement its stringent air quality rules, including a requirement that 4 percent of all new vehicles produce zero-emissions.

Mitsubishi's record car used a newly developed manganese lithium-ion battery, which has much faster charging and a 10 per cent increase in cruising range over nickel-hydrogen batteries.